Getting into medical school is no easy task. It takes a lot of hard work and careful preparation to gain the knowledge and skills you need to build a strong application and succeed on the MCAT. But, you can accelerate your journey and establish a strong foundation for medical school by making sure you take the right courses during undergraduate.

Every year thousands of college students label themselves “pre-med” and declare majors like biology, chemistry, psychology, and biochemistry. However, only 16.5% of students who try to follow the pre-med track actually graduate college with the required coursework for medical schools. Why does this happen?

Unfortunately, many pre-med students dive into undergraduate without a full understanding of the required coursework for medical schools. While there is some degree of variability from school to school, there are basic course requirements that most medical schools will expect incoming students to have already fulfilled during undergraduate.

Some of these courses are also important because they lay the groundwork for the MCAT, which is the standardized test designed to assess your readiness for medical school. The more you can prepare for the MCAT in undergraduate, the better your score will be.

This guide will help you put your best foot forward while preparing for medical school by offering up pre-med class recommendations as well as additional tips and skills you can use to improve your chances of getting into medical school, all coming straight from a medical school graduate.

Be sure to check out our various SAT prep and ACT prep course options as well as our admissions consulting services for additional college prep resources.

What Does “Pre-Med” Mean?

If you’ve asked any college students you know about their majors you have probably heard terms like pre-med and pre-law before.

Being pre-med does not mean that someone has already been pre-accepted into a medical school or that they are going to become a doctor. All this term means is that they have future plans of attending medical schools so they are taking the courses necessary to prepare them for this step.

That’s why a student can say they are pre-med while they are majoring in a subject like biology or chemistry. Pre-med is not their major; rather, it is their intention.

Basic Pre-Med Prerequisite Courses

Pre-med students need to take the classes that medical schools will require or encourage them to take in order to be accepted into the school. Every medical school has slightly different requirements, but there are some core courses that you can expect to find at most schools.

Almost every medical school requires the following courses:

• One year of Biology with lab
• One year of General Chemistry with lab
• One year of Organic Chemistry with lab
• One semester of Biochemistry
• One year of Physics with lab
• One year of English

Popular Pre-Med Majors

There are a few majors that pre-med students tend to migrate towards a lot. Here is a taste of those majors to consider:

• • Human Biology. Since doctors and researchers alike need to understand the biological processes that power the human body, Human Biology is a useful pre-med major.
  • Microbiology. Microbiology provides a foundation for understanding disease and the role of the immune system on the molecular level, making it a great asset for pre-med students.
  • Psychology. Psychology often involves studying human behavior, which is essential for healthcare professionals who work closely with patients to diagnose and treat them.
  • Chemistry or Biochemistry. Chemistry and Biochemistry allow students to explore fundamental life processes as well as pharmaceutical interventions.
  • Philosophy. Majoring in Philosophy gives students a firm understanding of ethics and helps them learn the proper ways to structure theories and arguments.

Recommended Pre-Med Classes to Take

Here are a number of other recommended electives to check out that will help you prepare for a medical education and a career in medicine:

• • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Calculus
  • Ethics
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • Genetics
  • Humanities
  • Public Health
  • Human Physiology
  • Foreign Language

Preparing for Medical School

While taking these courses is important, there are more steps that students need to take to be ready for medical school. Here are some strategies you should consider if you plan on going to medical school in the future.

Start Early

You can start preparing for medical school before you even graduate from high school. It’s never too early to adopt strong study habits, take rigorous college prep courses, and build a GPA that will provide a great foundation for your college career as a pre-med student. 

 

Once you are in college, it is important for you to knock out the required courses you’ll need to take for medical school as soon as possible.

 

Try to schedule the math and science courses and labs that you will need for medical school early so that you aren’t struggling to fit them into your schedule at the last minute. By doing this you can make sure you aren’t overextending yourself or at jeopardy of missing out on medical school prerequisites during your junior and senior years of college. 

 

Getting these classes out of the way early will also help give you more room in your schedule to earn a minor, take fun classes outside of your major that will make you more marketable and well-rounded, and take advantage of internships or study abroad opportunities.

Maintain a High GPA

Just like when you apply to colleges, your GPA is going to be a big part of your medical school applications. Medical schools only accept their top applicants, so if your GPA is less than stellar, you may not get into your top schools. 

 

While your math and science classes will take priority, you shouldn’t allow your grades for your outside classes to slip either. Medical schools will review your undergraduate transcript and all of your grades, even those that aren’t directly related to math and science.

Pursue a Variety of Experiences

The most promising pre-med students are not the ones who did nothing throughout their undergraduate career aside from earning “A’s” in their classes.

 

Medical schools want well-rounded students who have experiences that will make them better healthcare professionals. If your application shows that you’ve spent time volunteering or interning at medical facilities or otherwise gaining hands-on experience, you will stand out among the crowd of students who only have knowledge gained in the classroom.

 

Shadowing is a popular choice for broadening your horizons, especially if you’re just starting to look for opportunities to gain clinical experience. Some medical schools have a set requirement for the number of shadowing hours they expect students to complete before applying. 

 

You can start earning shadowing hours while in high school or undergraduate by contacting medical facilities to see if you can shadow a physician either in-person or virtually. This allows you to observe their daily tasks and responsibilities firsthand so you can understand what a day in the life of a medical professional is like before you jump in yourself.

There are also opportunities to earn clinical experience while getting paid. Here are some examples of jobs you can obtain in medical facilities without needing a medical degree or a huge amount of prior training:

• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Working as an EMT allows you to gain hands-on experience with patient care in a high-stress environment.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). CNAs also work directly with patients, typically helping with daily activities such as eating, bathing, grooming, and moving around.
• Medical or Hospital Scribe. Scribes help hospitals keep accurate records by transcribing interactions between patients and physicians as well as medical histories and diagnostic results.
• Emergency Room Technician. Similar to an EMT, emergency room technicians work in a fast-paced environment and help provide basic medical care to patients.
• Pharmacy Technician. Pharmacy technicians help locate, dispense, pack, and label prescriptions, letting them learn firsthand about the types of medications used to treat different conditions.
• Phlebotomist. Since phlebotomists draw blood from patients, they have the opportunity to work directly with patients in a variety of settings, including labs, hospitals, research institutes, blood donation centers, nursing homes, and more.

Many of these roles do require training and certification, but they are excellent chances to demonstrate your commitment to medicine and show that you have already started to gain skills. Medical schools love to see hands-on experiences on your application. 

Some undergraduate programs offer clinical experience for pre-med students either on campus or through off campus connections, so try asking around at your school if you’re having trouble finding opportunities on your own.

Medical School Admission Quick Tips

When pursuing your pre-med route, keep these tips in mind to help improve your chances of getting into your top choices of medical schools later.

Don’t Procrastinate – Be Proactive

If you’ve decided on pursuing a pre-med path before college, then take advantage of your first two years in undergraduate by using that time to knock out your basic medical school requirements. Not only will this relieve pressure on your mind, but you can also use the remaining time in your undergraduate career for other activities.

Many pre-med students use their remaining two years to study abroad, take a variety of different electives to broaden their horizons, or pursue an additional, non-science related major or minor. By taking on that heavy load upfront, you will make the rest of your college experience much more fruitful and memorable.

Use Your Time Wisely

While handling your prerequisites during undergrad study, take the time to check out different medical specialties. For example, if you’re interested in neurology, then don’t be afraid to take classes like biology, psychology, physics, anatomy, etc. 

Or maybe you’re interested in becoming a pediatrician. If so, then taking courses in child development, psychology, or sociology will help provide a base for you to build upon later.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), there are more than 160 specialties and subspecialties of medicine in the United States. Take a look at the list to see which ones jump out at you and use your time in undergraduate as an opportunity to explore them.

It’s also worth noting that demonstrating a long-running interest in a certain specialty can increase your chances of earning a spot in a helpful residency program after you graduate medical school.

Understand How to Focus Your Studying

When it comes to medical school admissions boards, your grades normally matter much more than your transcript.

Medical schools heavily weigh your GPA when evaluating potential candidates. That’s why it’s important to not only focus on your science-related courses (since they’ll be viewed more heavily) but also your other classes.

That focus level will keep your GPA as high as possible during your undergraduate career. Understand that, while the science courses do take more precedent, you can’t let anything slide, even the courses that have nothing to do with being pre-med.

Learn Outside The Classroom

Most medical schools expect candidates to gain some basic medical experience before applying. If you’re planning to apply after graduation, then make sure to either volunteer or get a paid job at a medical care facility while in undergraduate. If you’re too busy during the semester, consider picking up work or an internship at a clinic over the summer.

Primary care experience is valued highly, so keep an eye out for hospitals and clinics first. You can meet this requirement and acquire basic experience in dealing with patients. If a hospital or primary care clinic doesn’t interest you, then there are other available options to choose from as well. For example, volunteering at nursing homes or hospices counts and provides similar patient care experience. Either way, set aside time to work in some kind of medical environment.

The road to medical school is challenging, but extremely rewarding. If you’re considering pursuing a career in medicine, pay attention to the classes you take during undergraduate as a pre-med student to make your journey that much easier later on. Remember to seek out clinical experience as well so you can create an application that stands out from the crowd and increases your chances of acceptance at all your top schools.

How Prep Expert Can Help You

Before thinking about “pre-med” classes, you need to get into college first. A huge step in that direction is scoring well on either the SAT or ACT.

Taught by our high scoring instructors, Prep Expert’s strategies are put into practice through our homework assignments and weekly practice tests. This material helps you easily address your problem areas.

Ultimately, our aim is to help you achieve your school and life goals by providing the tools to overcome this first hurdle in the process – your test score.

Be sure to check out our various class options, from in-person, live online, to self-paced video on demand, to find one that fits your schedule. Our classes are available year-round, so there’s no reason to wait.

For more test strategy, college admissions, and scholarship application tips sign up for our FREE class happening right now!

We also have an article for pre law course recommendations.

Pre-Med FAQ

What does pre-med mean?

When you apply to most schools, you’ll see that pre-med isn’t a specifically defined major option. It’s simply a designation of your future plans to attend medical school.

What are some popular pre-med majors?

Human Biology, Biology, Psychology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Philosophy.

What specific classes I should take as a pre-med major?

Biochemistry, Biology, Calculus, Ethics, Psychology, Sociology, Statistics, Genetics, Humanities, Public Health, Human Physiology.

What are some pre-med prerequisite courses?

One year of Biology with lab, One year of General Chemistry with lab, One year of Organic Chemistry with lab, One semester of Biochemistry, One year of Physics with lab, One year of English.